Virginia Mosque Pays Tribute to Iran’s Supreme Leader

What happened at the Manassas mosque

A Shia mosque in Manassas, Virginia hosted a Ramadan iftar and a remembrance service that publicly offered “condolences and glad tidings on the martyrdom of His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.” The event took place after Khamenei was killed in what officials said were joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran. The mosque invited the community via social posts and framed the gathering as a time to consider responsibilities in the wake of his death. The public tone of the service surprised many locals who expect American houses of worship to avoid praising hostile foreign leaders.

BREAKING: Manassas Mosque in Virginia is honoring Ayatollah Khamenei, calling him "Our Leader."

Ayatollah Khamenei has the blood of hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans on his hands. As Americans, Khamenei isn't "Our Leader," he's our enemy. pic.twitter.com/EAqNy6Cvku

— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) March 2, 2026

The founder and imam of Manassas Mosque, Abolfazl Bahram Nahidian, has been identified as Ayatollah Khomenei's "point man" in DC since the 1970s.

He allegedly received $5 million from Iran in the 1980s to support Iranian regime propaganda efforts in the US.

In 1980, Nahidian's… pic.twitter.com/8KXNrl91mb

— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) March 2, 2026

Longstanding ties to Tehran cause concern

The Manassas mosque is not a new player on this stage. It has been described as having close ties to Iran and as a community of “pious, educated, socially conscious, and active Muslims.” Those comforting words do not erase past reporting that highlights displays inside the mosque featuring images of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fighters, Iranian flags and a life sized cutout of Ayatollah Khomeini. That history helps explain why House Republicans pointed the mosque out in 2023 as one of several U.S. institutions to watch for links to the Iranian regime.

Money and investigations have followed

Financial ties add a second layer of worry. Public filings show the mosque received about $193,000 in the mid 2000s from the Alavi Foundation. Federal prosecutors later targeted that foundation in cases alleging it funneled Iranian linked funds through U.S. entities to state owned Bank Melli, an institution previously sanctioned for support of terrorism and nuclear work. Critics note that houses of worship do not face the same public disclosure rules as nonprofits, which can limit transparency about foreign gifts and influence.

Actions and rhetoric since 2023 raise red flags

After the October 2023 Hamas terror attack the mosque leadership expressed support for what it called the Palestinian Resistance. A blog post that was later removed praised General Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian commander killed in a 2020 U.S. drone strike who was linked to the deaths of many American service members. For Americans who demand loyal, transparent institutions on U.S. soil these incidents are not merely symbolic. They are part of a pattern that warrants careful investigation and federal scrutiny.

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